Why did Qwest implement a minutes trading desk?
RT: What spawned our thinking was a few years back, we had an international trading desk. It worked so well we said, well, let’s try this domestically, let’s make the most of this voice arbitrage that we have experienced. When we sat down and decided to do this, growth in data and IP was almost boundless because the consumption for more capacity continues to escalate. The low-margin voice products were becoming a distraction to data and IP sales. So we separated voice and what we find is the sales force is now 100 percent focused on data and IP sales. How is that working out? RT: The way we approach these sales is different from voice. For example, we added hired sales engineers, added technical expertise. We changed the back room to have more flexibility with data and IP – we changed the service center, personnel, order writers and processors. What are some wholesale trends readers might keep an eye on? RT: The trends have been pretty consistent the last couple of years – demand for f
